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SC Johnson's Windex Mini launch is a big step toward reducing the use of full-sized detergent bottles, but more work is needed to convert the public to concentrated-cleaning solutions, writes Jason Foster, the founder of Replenish. A focus on improved product design might hasten this transition, as "[c]onsumers will change if you give them a good reason to," Foster writes.

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Consumers can be accurate in perceiving which brands are truly green, says sustainability expert Annie Longsworth of Cohn & Wolfe. A survey found consumers and experts agreed on companies such as Seventh Generation, Whole Foods and Burt's Bees, which are seen as green and genuinely eco-conscious, Longsworth said. Others, such as Apple, benefit from a "halo effect" where a strong design ethos convinces customers that the company must also be eco-friendly.

With research from Procter & Gamble showing many consumers are not happy with dry cleaning, the company has launched Tide Dry Cleaners stores, which have valets to carry clothes to and from customer cars and machines that are visible. The company expects to have several hundred locations within a few years.

U.S. researchers studying surfactant-like molecules called sophorolipids that are produced in yeast say they have identified certain yeasts that that could be used to mass-produce alternatives to petroleum-derived surfactants. "Yields [of sophorolipids] from this study are good, and I am sure they could be enhanced markedly in scale-ups," said researcher Cletus Kurtzman.

Replenish Bottling, along with Nypro and its product-development arm, have formed a joint venture with Eastman Chemical to develop a reusable-bottle system for liquid concentrates. The goal is to supply the bottle system to companies that manufacture cleaning products. "What we're doing with Nypro is taking their scale and worldwide manufacturing capabilities and bringing these bottles to brands," said Jason Foster, founder and CEO of Replenish Bottling.